Both Mary Dobsch and her peers agree – she was meant to be in promotional products.

After business school, Dobsch – today the president of The Chest (asi/44830) – didn’t want to leave her hometown of Washington, MO. The oldest daughter of eight, she was only 13 when her mother passed away. She felt compelled to stay close, so she joined former supplier Hazel Promotional Products in order entry.

A few years later, Magnet LLC, now part of The Magnet Group (asi/68507), came to the area and owner Bill Wood asked Dobsch to join him. “I was the first person hired,” she says. “We worked out of a renovated car wash. We didn’t want to get too busy because we didn’t have a lot of space.”

Under the same roof was The Chest, a small company run by Wood’s wife. When Magnet LLC was sold to an investment group in 1987, a colleague at Magnet LLC bought The Chest and Dobsch joined him as vice president of sales & marketing. In 2005, Dobsch became the owner.

“Promo is all I know,” she says. “If I had to find another job, I wouldn’t know what to do.”

The Chest, now certified women-owned, specializes in custom packaging, puzzles and sustainable products. The company added magnetic and laminated items as well as luggage tags in 2012 when it acquired WoodCo Promotional Products. Today, its base of clients through distributors is as varied as the products it carries – from small companies to Fortune 100 firms.

“We get to work with the cream of the crop,” Dobsch says. “We have really reputable clients.”

Even as the industry has evolved over the years (Dobsch didn’t even use a fax machine when she first started), one thing hasn’t changed: the importance of relationships. “People want to buy from those they respect, enjoy and want to be around,” she says. “I was afraid we would lose that with younger generations, but they’re very loyal.”

Mary (far right, kneeling) with her team members on Valentine’s Day.

Another differentiator: friendliness between competitors. That includes Dan Townes, owner/president of Shelbyville Pencil Company/Shepenco (asi/86850), Counselor’s 2022 Supplier Family Business of the Year. He’s known Dobsch for more than 40 years.

“Mary was one of the many reasons that Hazel was a top supplier that others envied and emulated,” he says. “She’s diligent and measures her success through the success of others. She’s a dedicated professional who cares about our industry, where it’s been and where it’s headed. The world needs more of her.”

Dobsch also makes time for philanthropy – she’s a past president of the Washington Area Chamber of Commerce; a member of the Washington Rotary Club; and has served on committees for the Franklin County Area United Way, Four Rivers Area YMCA and Emmaus Homes, which offers independent living opportunities for adults with disabilities.

“There are no easy answers. You just have to dig in and work.” – Mary Dobsch, The Chest

Chris Lovell, the 2004 Counselor Woman of Distinction who recently retired from ASI and formerly represented the account, calls Dobsch “a female trailblazer” in the industry: “Mary understood the value of packaging long before it became the hot trend it is today,” says Lovell. “She loves to make distributors look good in the eyes of their customers.”

Jennifer Griffin, The Chest’s accounting manager, says her seven years working for Dobsch have been “enlightening,” adding that “her ability to keep a positive outlook is an inspiration. Her enthusiasm and support make it a pleasure to come to work every day. If there ever was a boss that deserves praise and adulation, it’s Mary. She’s never fails to be supportive, kind and fair to all of us.”

What’s her secret sauce? Dobsch says it’s not complicated. “I tell my staff, you have to work really hard,” she says. “There are no easy answers. You just have to dig in and work.”